The Lakers spent a ton of money this summer re-signing Austin Reaves and trading for Walker Kessler, but they also made small moves that could have a big impact.
Matisse Thybulle and Zaire Williams have been brought on to bolster the wing position. In the NBA Draft, the Lakers traded up a spot to acquire Cameron Carr, and when you add in two-year forward Adou Thiero, there is suddenly a nice group of players that have a potential for a breakout year.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which player from this group would outperform their contract, and Thybulle was the top pick.
Thybulle is reportedly healthy now after some injury-riddled seasons. If that turns out to be true and he plays in the majority of regular season games, then he could absolutely be a steal for the Lakers.
As a defensive player on the perimeter, he provides a skill this roster desperately needs. Thybulle was named Second Team All-Defense in his second and third years with the Sixers, and a return to that level would guarantee significant playing time for him.
Last year, with the Blazers, he averaged 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 30 games, while making 39.8 percent of his 3-pointers.
Carr also got a ton of love from Lakers fans, with 34% voting for him. As a rookie, how good he will be is unknown, but his Summer League play was very encouraging.
He was scoring with ease on and off-ball and averaged 18 points per game in Las Vegas Summer League, helping the Lakers advance to the semifinals. Carr played so well that it’s possible he could crack the rotation and log meaningful minutes immediately.
However, he’s still a rookie, and how he’ll play against true NBA competition remains a mystery. Thybulle is a much more established player and likely someone head coach JJ Redick can trust more. Also, given his defensive play, what he provides might be more important than Carr getting buckets.
Whether it’s Thybulle, Carr, or someone else that breaks out for the Lakers, hopefully it’s one of the players on a team-friendly deal.
Winning in the margins is huge in the NBA, and having a player that can outperform their contract is how teams can compete and thrive under this current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
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